Withania

About ten species of mostly evergreen shrubs belong to this genus, which is distributed mainly in Asia and Africa, with two species in Europe. Like most other members of the nightshade family (Solanaceae), they are rich in alkaloids and all parts should be regarded as poisonous. Withania somnifera occurs in stony places up to 1700m (5500ft), and as a weed near habitation. It holds an important place in Ayurvedic medicine, similar to that of Panax ginseng (See, Ginseng) in Chinese medicine, and is also widely used in Middle East. In Oman and S. Yemen, W. somnifera and W. qaraitica (gen-geneh) are used interchangeably to treat a wide range condition. The plants are toxic to livestock, which ignore them, but are used in veterinary medicine to treat mastitis.

Ashwagandha, which in Sanskrit means "that which has the smell of a horse", has been used in Indian medicine for some four thousand years to treat inflammatory diseases and tumors and to promote sexual stimulation and longevity. Some animal and human studies ahve shown that an extract of the ashwagandha root does have some ability to slow the growth of cancerous tumors and to reduce the inflammation seen in rheumatoid arthritis.

Upright, evergreen shrub with mealy stems and ovate leaves, 5-10cm (2-4in) long. Green to yellow inconspicuous flowers grow in clusters in the leaf axils all year, followed by globose orange-red berries, 6mm (¼in) across, enclosed in a papery inflated calyx.


Common Name:
Withania
Other Names:
Ashwagandha, Asgandh, Avarada, Ayurvedic Ginseng, Winter Cherry
Botanical Name:
Withania somnifera
Genus:
Withania
Family:
Solanaceae
Native Location:
Mediterranean and Middle East to India and Sri Lanka
Cultivation:
Dry, stony soil in sun or partial shade. Cut back plants in early spring.
Propagation:
By seed sown in spring; by greenwood cuttings with a heel in late spring.
Harvest:
Roots are dried for use in medicated ghee, medicated oil, pastes, and powders.
Height:
60cm-2m (2-6ft)
Width:
30cm-1m (1-3ft) or more.
Hardiness:
Z8-11
Parts Used:
Roots, fruits, leaves.
Properties:
A bitter-sweet, astringent, warming herb with a horse-like smell. It acts mainly on the reproductive and nervous systems, stimulates the uterus, and has sedative, rejuvenative, and aphrodisiac effects.
Medicinal Uses:
Internally for debility, convalescence, nervous exhaustion, insomnia, geriatric complaints, wasting diseases, failure to thrive in children, impotence, infertility, joint and nerve pains, epilepsy, rheumatic pains, or multiple sclerosis (roots); also to induce contractions in prolonged labor or retained placenta (fruits, leaves). Usually given as a milk decoction in Ayurvedic medicine, often with raw sugar, honey, rice or Piper longum (See, BlackPepper). Externally as a poultice for swellings, wounds, burns, stings, carbuncles, scorpion and snakebite (leaves).
To treat anxiety, insomnia, arthritis, tumors, skin ulcers, backache, chronic liver disease, and tuberculosis; to increase resistance to environmental stress.
Warning:
Toxic if eaten.
Typical Dose:
A typical daily dose of ashwagandha may range from 1 to 6gm of the whole herb in a capsule or tea form.
Possible Side Effects:
Ashwagandha's side effects include gastrointestinal upset, vomiting, and diarrhea.
Drug Interactions:
Taking ashwagandha with these drugs may reduce the drugs immunosuppresive effects:
Antithymocyte Globulin, Equine (Atgam) Antithymocyte Globulin, Rabbit (Thymoglobulin) Azathioprine (Imuran) Basiliximab (Simulect)
Beclomethasone (Beconase, Vanceril) Betamethasone (Celestone, Diprolene) Budesonide (Entocort, Rhinocort) Budesonite and Formoterol (Symbicort)
Cortisone (Cortone) Cyclosporine (Neoral, Sandimmune) Daclizumab (Zenapax) Deflazacort (Calcort, Dezacor)
Dexamethasone (Decadron, Dexasone) Efalizumab (Raptiva) Flunisolide (AeroBid, Nasarel) Fluorometholone (Eflone, Flarex)
Fluticasone (Cutivate, Flonase) Hydrocortisone (Anusol-HC, Locoid) Loteprednol (Alrex, Lotemax) Medrysone (HMS Liquifilm)
Methotrexate (Rheumatrex, Trexall) Methlyprednisolone (DepoMedrol, Medrol) Muromonab-CD3 (Orthoclone OKT 3) Mycophenolate (CellCept)
Pimecrolimus (Elidel) Prednisolone (Inflamase Forte, Pred Forte) Prednisone (Apo-Prednisone, Deltasone) Rimexolone (Vexol)
Sirolimus (Rapamune) Tacrolimus (Prograf, Protopic) Thalidomide (Thalomid) Triamcinolone (Aristocort, Trinasal)
Taking ashwagandha with these drugs may increase both the positive and negative effects of the drugs:
Acetaminophen and Codeine (Capital and Codeine, Tylenol with Codeine) Alfentanil (Alfenta) Alprazolam (Apo-Alpraz, Xanax) Amobarbital (Amytal) Amobarbital and Secobarbital (Tuinal) Aspirin and Codeine (Coryphen Codeine) Belladonna and Opium (B&O Supprettes) Bromazepam (Apo-Bromazepam, Gen-Bromazepam)
Brotizolam (Lendorm, Sintonal) Buprenorphine (Buprenex, Subutex) Buprenorphine and Naloxone (Suboxone) Butabarbital (Butisol Sodium) Butalbital, Acetominophen, and Caffeine (Esgic, Fioricet) Butorphanol (Apo-Butorphanol, Stadol) Chloral Hydrate (Aquachloral Supprettes, Somnote) Chlordiazepoxide (Apo-Chlordiazepoxide, Libruim)
Clobazam (Alti-Clobazam, Frisium) Clonazepam (Klonopin, Rivotril) Clorazepate (Tranxene, T-Tab) Codeine (Codeine Contin) Dexmedetomidine (Precedex) Diazepam (Apo-Diazepam, Valium) Dihydrocodeine, Aspirin, and Caffeine (Synalgos-DC) Diphenhydramine (Benadryl Allergy, Nytol)
Estazolam (ProSom) Fentanyl (Actiq, Duragesic) Flurazepam (Apo-Flurazepam, Dalmane) Glutethimide Haloperidol (Haldol, Novo-Peridol) Hydrocodone and Acetominophen (Vicodin, Zydone) Hydrocodone and Aspirin (Damason-P) Hydrocodone and Ibuprofen (Vicoprofen)
Hydromorphone (Dilaudid, PMS-Hydromorphone) Hydroxyzine (Atarax, Vistaril) Levomethadyl Acetate Hydrochloride Levorphanol (LevoDromoran) Loprazolam (Ativan, Nu-Loraz) Meperidine (Demerol, Meperitab) Meperidine and Promethazine Mephobarbital (Mebaral)
Methadone (Dolophine, Methadose) Methohexital (Brevital, Brevital Sodium) Midazolam (Apo-Midazolam, Versed) Morphine Sulfate (Kadian, MS Contin) Nalbuphine (Nubain) Opium Tincture Oxycodone (OxyContin, Roxicodone) Oxycodone and Acetominophen (Endocet, Percocet)
Oxycodone and Aspirin (Endodan, Percodan) Oxymorphone (Numorphan) Paregoric Pentazocine (Talwin) Pentobarbital (Nembutal) Phenobarbital (Luminal Sodium, PMS-Phenobarbital) Phenoperidine Prazepam
Primidone (Apo-Primidone, Mysoline) Promethazine (Phenergan) Propofol (Diprivan) Propoxyphene (Darvon, Darvon-N) Propoxyphene and Acetaminophen (Darvocet-N 50, Darvocet-N 100) Propoxyphene, Aspirin, and Caffeine (Darvon Compound) Quazepam (Doral) Remifentanil (Ultiva)
Secobarbital (Seconal) Sufentanil (Sufenta) Temazepam (Novo-Temazepam, Restoril) Tetrazepam (Mobiforton, Musapam) Thiopental (Pentothal) Triazolam (Apo-Triazo, Halcion) Zaleplon (Sonata, Stamoc) Zolpidem (Ambien)
Zopiclone (Alti-Zopiclone, Gen-Zopiclone)
Lab Test Alterations:
May suppress thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) or increase Triiodothyronine (T3) or Thyroxine (T4) values. May stimulate the synthesis or secretion of thyroid hormone.
Disease Interactions:
May worsen peptic ulcer disease by irritating the gastrointestinal tract.
Supplement Interactions:
May enhance therapeutic and adverse effects of herbs and supplements that have sedative properties, such as 5-HTP, Kava Kava, St. John's Wort, and Valerian.
Culinary Uses:
Seeds are used to coagulate milk.
Economic Uses:
Powdered roots are an ingredient of various Ayurvedic tonic formulas and Raja's Cup coffee substitute.
Bibliography:
Encylopedia of Herbs by Deni Brown Copyright ©: 1995, 2001 Dorling Kindersley Limited pps. 408
The Essential Herb-Drug-Vitamin Interaction Guide by George T. Grossberg, M.D. and Barry Fox, Ph.D. Copyright © 2007 by Barry Fox, Ph.D. pp.51-53